Boeing machinists walk off the job as talks fail

NEW YORK/EVERETT, Washington, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Boeing
Co's (BA.N: Cotización) 27,000-strong machinists' union walked off the job
on Saturday after the plane maker failed to improve its
contract offer after two days of emergency talks.

At midnight, a crowd of more than 100 employees gathered
near the entrance of Boeing's factory in Everett, Washington,
whistling, honking and waving picket signs as the strike got
underway. A small police presence ensured the scene was calm.

"Despite meeting late into the night and throughout the
day, continued contract talks with the Boeing Company did not
address our issues," Tom Wroblewski, the IAM's Seattle-area
president, said in a letter to members. "The strike is on."

The vast majority of the International Association of
Machinists and Aerospace Workers' (IAM) members voted to reject
Boeing's "best and final" offer on Wednesday, but postponed a
strike for 48 hours to give negotiators more time.

Boeing and IAM negotiators, along with federal mediators,
met near Orlando, Florida in a last-ditch effort to hammer out
an agreement.

"Over the past two days, Boeing, the union and the federal
mediator worked hard in pursuing ... options that could lead to
an agreement. Unfortunately the differences were too great to
close," said Scott Carson, the head of Boeing's commercial
plane unit, in a statement.

No further talks are scheduled. Both sides said they were
waiting for the other to make the first move. Boeing spokesman
Tim Healy said the company was "open" to hearing from the IAM.

"If this company wants to talk, they have my number, they
can reach me on the picket line," the IAM's Wroblewski said in
a message to union members.
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